Chapter 8 - THE TRANSPORT ORDER
The transport order instructed hospital staff to release Maya into private psychiatric custody.
It carried Dr. Cole’s forged signature.
It also carried a judge’s electronic seal.
Detective Torres contacted the court.
The seal had been copied from an unrelated case.
The order was completely fraudulent.
Ryan imagined what would have happened if the staff had accepted it.
Maya could have been sedated.
She could have been taken from Oliver.
She could have disappeared inside a facility controlled by Evelyn’s connections.
Then every protest would have been called another symptom.
Maya read the order without speaking.
At the bottom was a destination.
Briarwood Behavioral Center.
Ryan searched the name on his phone.
The facility was privately owned.
One of its board members was Samuel Price.
“Why would they take me there?”
Maya asked the question even though she already knew the answer.
“To silence you.”
Ryan’s voice sounded unfamiliar.
Detective Torres contacted the state health department.
Officers were sent to Briarwood.
The hospital assigned guards outside Oliver’s room.
At sunrise, Evelyn finally called Ryan.
He answered on speaker.
“My attorney tells me you are making reckless accusations.”
Ryan forced himself to remain calm.
“Where are you?”
“I am somewhere safe.”
“You hid Oliver’s inhaler.”
“I removed an item Maya was misusing.”
“You hit her.”
“She attacked me.”
“You prepared fake medical documents.”
“I prepared for a crisis.”
“You created the crisis.”
Evelyn sighed.
It was the same patient sigh she had used throughout Ryan’s childhood.
The sigh that meant he had disappointed her.
“You are exhausted.”
“You are frightened.”
“Maya is taking advantage of your emotions.”
Ryan looked at his wife.
Maya sat beside Oliver, gently smoothing his hair.
“You told Claire Maya would be hospitalized.”
“I told Claire help was available.”
“You tried to abduct my wife.”
“Do not use dramatic language.”
“Where are you?”
Evelyn ignored the question.
“Ryan, you still have time to correct this.”
“Withdraw the accusations.”
“Tell the police you misunderstood what you saw.”
“Then I will protect you.”
Ryan almost laughed.
She still believed she controlled the outcome.
“You are not protecting me.”
“You are threatening me.”
“I am reminding you who you are.”
“I know exactly who I am.”
“I am Maya’s husband.”
“I am Oliver’s father.”
“And I will spend the rest of my life making sure you never get near them again.”
Silence followed.
Then Evelyn’s voice changed.
The warmth disappeared.
“You think Maya will stay with you after this?”
Ryan looked at Maya again.
The shame inside him returned.
Evelyn had found the wound.
“She will remember that you doubted her.”
“She will remember that you defended me.”
“She will look at you and see the man who helped destroy her.”
Maya reached across the bed and took Ryan’s hand.
He tightened his fingers around hers.
“You are right about one thing.”
Ryan spoke carefully.
“I failed her.”
“But I will not fail her again.”
He ended the call.
Detective Torres traced the signal.
The phone had connected near the Whitmore family cemetery.
Officers arrived eleven minutes later.
Evelyn was gone.
But they found fresh flowers on Charles Whitmore’s grave.
May you like
Beneath the flowers was a sealed envelope.
Ryan’s name was written across it.
